Gezicht op de alun-alun van een dorp c. 1816 - 1846

Adrianus Johannes Bik created this drawing of a village square, likely in the Dutch East Indies, using pen in brown and gray, and watercolor. The scene is structured by a central road that draws the eye into the composition, leading towards a distant, imposing mountain. Look at the large trees which frame the open space and dominate the middle ground. They are rendered with delicate, almost skeletal lines, that create a screen-like effect, softening the scene and enhancing the sense of depth. The artist uses muted tones, primarily grays and browns, to construct a landscape that feels both immediate and dreamlike. The composition uses a clear foreground, middle ground and background to give an illusion of space. However, the delicate application of watercolor washes blurs the clarity, challenging fixed spatial relationships. The drawing invites us to see the village not as a static place, but as a space shaped by perception and memory.